Very Interesting! Gently Used Gift Exchange

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

Quicksilver...is the one that initiated this whole thing......so guess we need to check with her.....and make sure that ADMIN is ok with everything...Then we can proceed...

I LOVE the idea that you can ship a box with UPS for 10.95 and you can fill it with however much!! That is AWESOME!!! That's not asking too much for shipping!!

Is it the same fee EVERYWHERE in the U.S.?

I think so...not 100% sure. They call it the 'FLAT RATE' box.

[Wabbit]

Originally Posted by mimimomo

I think so...not 100% sure. They call it the 'FLAT RATE' box.

I think that would be pretty affordable for everyone involved!!!! And I might even wanna send a secret little thing for the next recipient of the box...after I send it on!

[QuickSilver]

Originally Posted by FlDebra

Not to nix a new inventive idea or anything .... but why doesn't everyone just list all of their used things on the For Sale forums. You will get money for what you sell, and can turn around and buy what others post. If everyone would do this over the next month, there could be a very nice selection of things there in no time. Then we would only be paying postage once for things someone wants.

Conceivably if something went in the box that no one was needing, dozens of people could be paying postage over and over to send that item around the country.

It might be a neat idea for the big Meet-Up. Everyone could get one ticket for each item donated, and then get to pick an item for every ticket they have. I have seen that type of thing done for kid's sporting equipment before. Worked like a charm!

Just adding some alternative ideas in case this one doesn't work out for you all.

This is a good point. Here are what I see as the benefits of a treasure box:

- You don't have to figure out how to price your items.
- Your dog can try the item out before you decide to keep it!
- You don't have to ship multiple things to multiple places.
- You can give away ALL your (nice) stuff at one time. No chance of one or two items selling, and the rest of it sitting there.
- Hopefully since this is supposed to be a gift-y idea, people will be relaxed, with no risk of complaints that merchandise wasn't "as advertised", possibility of returns or refunds, etc.
- Hopefully it will be fun!

I'm wondering if we could get a FreeCycle forum for larger items like carriers: people show photos, and if someone wants it, they pay to have it shipped to them.

I'll try to check this weekend to get a sense of how much it would cost to send a decent-sized box with a couple dozen doggy outfits in it. I agree we definitely wouldn't do priority mail. I think we would do the slowest shipping rate, 5-9 business days. I don't think it would be very heavy, so let me see how big the box would need to be and what that would cost.

What do people think a reasonable shipping cost is? $5-10; $10-$20; $20-$25.

Keep in mind you would only be getting the box every four months or so, assuming you signed up for multiple rotations.

[Wabbit]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

This is a good point. Here are what I see as the benefits of a treasure box:

- You don't have to figure out how to price your items.
- Your dog can try the item out before you decide to keep it!
- You don't have to ship multiple things to multiple places.
- You can give away ALL your (nice) stuff at one time. No chance of one or two items selling, and the rest of it sitting there.
- Hopefully since this is supposed to be a gift-y idea, people will be relaxed, with no risk of complaints that merchandise wasn't "as advertised", possibility of returns or refunds, etc.
- Hopefully it will be fun!

I'm wondering if we could get a FreeCycle forum for larger items like carriers: people show photos, and if someone wants it, they pay to have it shipped to them.

I'll try to check this weekend to get a sense of how much it would cost to send a decent-sized box with a couple dozen doggy outfits in it. I agree we definitely wouldn't do priority mail. I don't think it would be very heavy, so let me see how big the box would need to be and what that would cost.

What do people think a reasonable shipping cost is? $5-10; $10-$20; $20-$25.

Keep in mind you would only be getting the box every four months or so, assuming you signed up for multiple rotations.

Did you see where someone mentioned that UPS has a flat rate box...for 10.95 or something like that and you can put whatever you want in it?? That's reasonable!!!

And I agree with all your "reasons" why this would be so much more fun than posting sale items...

[QuickSilver]

So $11 is good for shipping? Let me check that if there are restrictions on the size of the box for that - I'm thinking ideally we send a 2 x 2 x 2 box, probably half-filled most of the time.

[pres6pak]

we want in tooooooo

[willow1]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

Welcome to this very interesting thread. Hopefully the title convinced you to peek.

I was thinking that most of us probably have a box full of clothes and toys our yorkies don't wear / play with. Wouldn't it be nice if another yorkie got to enjoy them?

Here's the proposal: We start with two YT boxes, one for clothes, one for toys. You sign up for either or both boxes. You receive the box with other people's gently used toys / clothes. You take what you like, add your own things, and send the box onto the next person on the list.

Would you sign up for something like this??

I'm thinking we have a rule that you can only put clothing in Excellent or Like New condition into the box, and maybe Very Good quality for toys. It might be nice to do something like this for treats or larger items like outgrown crates, but toys and clothes seem like the easiest place to start.

We would have some basic rules, like:

- the box must have at least five items in it when you send it on.
- the box can't weight more than ten pounds (or whatever is a reasonable shipping weight).
- You must send the box on within 10 days of receiving it.
- You must meet basic qualifications like those for entering the official Gift Exchange.

We are still working out where the sign ups would be, maybe in the "Wanted" forum. We would also need to figure out how to prevent the box from getting "stuck" somewhere.

What do you think? Something you'd love to do? Never do? You would do if the idea got tweaked in this or that way? I'd love your feedback!

sounds fair and good to me

[mimimomo]

USPS. The size of that box is pretty big: 13.5L*11.5H*3W & it says for domestic & international use. 2*2*2 would be significantly lower...I think.

[Robin Lodal]

Hmmm 3 months, time is not on my side! I'm so close! I joined in feb... so if you count FEB, MAR, APR, I'm in... but if you don't count FEB, I won't be eligible til NEXT month..

Btw... I want to be signed up for the boy AND girl box! Neither one wants to be left out.

So... who is going to *start* the box - to get it going? They have to be willing to put up some items and wait until the box comes full circle til they get their items...

[Wabbit]

Originally Posted by mimimomo

USPS. The size of that box is pretty big: 13.5L*11.5H*3W & it says for domestic & international use. 2*2*2 would be significantly lower...I think.

oops my bad...

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

Since we would be running this on the YT boards most likely, I feel like it would be reasonable to require people to donate to participate.

Donations to YT and then running it from YT would actively involve YT. Would people then hold YT responsible if something goes wrong? Would they ask for compensation/donation back if they if they donated to YT purely to take part but then didn't get something?

What happens if a member receives the box and there is NOTHING in the box that they want, like or need? Do they then just ship it back out again? Do they still add something? Does the box get shipped back to them at some point and HOPEFULLY there will be something in there that they would like? Who pays for the extra shipping costs for that member?

How do you determine it to be fair? Say in the box there is a couple of nice items of clothing and a few cheap toys... someone takes the clothing and adds a couple of other cheap toys in... then the sends the box on, the next person gets some cheap toys maybe adds some nice things but then pays $10 or whatever for maybe something that was worth $5 and "used".

Originally Posted by Wabbit

Quicksilver...is the one that initiated this whole thing......so guess we need to check with her.....and make sure that ADMIN is ok with everything...Then we can proceed...

Admin actually responded to this thread... I guess their post was just overlooked...

Originally Posted by admin

We appreciate your enthusiasm for this project. As with anything with the YorkieTalk name attached to it, we would have to make sure everything is in order before this can proceed. There are a few questions such as how heavy the "boxes" will be, how much shipping will be, and if there are alternative ideas that can better fulfill what to do with "gently used" toys.

[Wabbit]

NOONE is ignoring ADMIN....this is still just in the "planning" stages......nothings been decided...Yet...

You have raised some good questions...however....Noone HAS to participate....this is all VOLUNTARY........And we are going on GOOD FAITH for all members involved...so please keep that in mind!

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

NOONE is ignoring ADMIN....this is still just in the "planning" stages......nothings been decided...Yet...

You have raised some good questions...however....Noone HAS to participate....this is all VOLUNTARY........And we are going on GOOD FAITH for all members involved...so please keep that in mind!

Well no one addressed Admin's post either. I also said "overlooked" not "ignored"...

By telling me noone HAS to participate doesn't answer my "good questions" though... Yes, I'm aware of the fact it's voluntary, but I'm sure there are people who are considering this who also had the same questions. I see no problem in addressing those question where you clearly do, hence your aburpt reply.

Good faith is all well and good... but so is the GE and there has been more than one occassion where YT, (along with members), have had to step up and send a replacement box when one hasn't been received... so good faith doesn't and won't always work out.... so please keep THAT in mind.

[Wabbit]

I don't understand your rude attitude over this....If you don't trust this idea...don't take part....

I'm not going to pretend to know ALL the answers...however I can't imagine that ALOT of people out there are planning on screwing other YT members over by putting crap in the box!!!

I don't personally even CARE if I get anything out of it....the point is to share my unused stuff with others!!! And if you MUST HAVE SOMEONE step up and offer to pay for shipping I WILL!! Does that solve your dilemma??

Geez chill a bit.....

Admin will be notified of EVERYTHING.. before anything is decided!

[Gypsy & Me]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

I don't understand your rude attitude over this....If you don't trust this idea...don't take part....

I'm not going to pretend to know ALL the answers...however I can't imagine that ALOT of people out there are planning on screwing other YT members over by putting crap in the box!!!

I don't personally even CARE if I get anything out of it....the point is to share my unused stuff with others!!! And if you MUST HAVE SOMEONE step up and offer to pay for shipping I WILL!! Does that solve your dilemma??

Geez chill a bit.....

Admin will be notified of EVERYTHING.. before anything is decided!

I don't consider my post to be in anyway rude at all. I also don't have an attitude. I was expressing a concern over some issues I thought could be a possibility... I don't see how that can be considered rude to then voice them and hope for a reply. You're response however was slightly rude towards me because you didn't like what I had to say.

By no means am I saying there are ALOT of members out to screw YTers, but I've been around long enough to see a fair share of things go wrong and someone be left out of pocket or emotionally hurt.

It wasn't a dilemma about the extra shipping costs, it was a question that I'm sure someone participating in this might well of asked? Would it of been such an issue if I had of said, I'm interested but if this happens then what happens? I don't believe it would be.

I'm perfectly "chilled out", I just marely asked questions that you clearly didn't like and got no replies outright other than a backlashing.